Theon comes home
by charlemagnebrat1
Summary: Theon goes to Harlaw to visit his mother.


/Disclaimer: I do not own A song of Ice and Fire or any characters depicted therein. On with the show!/

'Stay here until I call you,' Asha instructed Theon. She knocked once, and then opened the door to her mother's chamber.

The room was not well lit. A shaft of light fell onto a rocking chair, illuminating red rimmed eyes and a grasping, hungry face.

'Did you bring him? Did you bring my baby boy?'

The chair swayed.

'Yes, Mother.' Asha gripped the doorframe. Why was this hard? 'He's here. He's just here.' She reached for Theon, to find that he had moved down the corridor. Asha left her mother's sight to grip his ear. 'What is wrong with you?' she hissed.

Theon stepped into the room gingerly, like a new colt. The dark and must confounded him. He wished he'd brought a candle.

Was that hag really his mother? He'd not thought of her for years, once he learnt friends were preferable to sulking alone. Her long white hair- dragonblood, sweetling, but only a pinch and from the wrong side of the blanket- lay dry and dead over her shoulders. The same nose, same chin, yes, but-

'Who are you, Northman?' The tone was harsh. The chair rocked. Alannys Greyjoy glowered at the intruder.

'I'm not a northerner.'

'Northern cloak, northern boots- I've seen the sort before. Don't try to fool me- you've come to take my last, haven't you?'

'What?'

'My last, my Asha. Take and rape and kill far away. Haven't you? Haven't you!'

'No, Mother! I am Theon, I am your son.'

'My baby boy?' The rocking stopped. 'Asha, draw back the curtain.' Asha obeyed, and six blue eyes looked at one another.

'Theon, come to mother.' He stepped over, and knelt by her. Alannys smiled, and ran her fingers through her hair.

'You must trim that beard, dear. It's far too northern.'

'Yes Mother.'

'And we must find you some proper clothes.'

'Yes Mother.'

'You're a good boy.' She kissed his forehead. Theon remembered his words to Asha, when she proposed this trip. _Will she welcome me as warmly as Father did? I sent ravens of my arrival, she knew I was coming and she isn't here. Not fucking here. If Mother doesn't want to see me, then I don't want to see her!_ How could he have _thought_ such a thing?

They stayed so for a time, Alannys stroking Theon's brow as he leaned into her. Asha just watched.

'You're not a little boy anymore, are you?' She asked this in wonder, as if he had grown several feet overnight.

'No, Mother. In Winterfell-'

'-Don't mention that place. We must find you a wife, who will give you many children. If Maron or Rodrik had-' Here she broke off and looked away. Asha tensed. She was used to her mother. But a rod of iron had grown in Lady Greyjoy as she held her son. 'A good wife, kind, and pretty. I know how young men like pretty.' She smirked. 'And I'm sure you're as eager a man as your brothers were.'

Theon's mouth gaped as he aped a hooked fish. He stood and turned to his sister for aid, but she was grinning from ear to ear.

'There's no need for that. I've only just come home.'

'Not for your poor old mother?' Alannys added an extra wheedle. The false weakness contrasted the renewed steel.

'It- it wouldn't look right.'

'Oh, how, darling?'

'It wouldn't look right because Asha isn't married. Because Asha is older than me. She should marry first.' Theon was pleased with this argument, and it showed.

'Asha, come here. What are you wearing?' Boiled leather evidently did not satisfy.

'What happened to your nice blue dress?' What showed in Asha's face? Was it joy at her mother's apparent recovery? Or fear of this conversation? No, she scowled at her brother. _I will get you for this. _

'It's no wonder you're unwed if you dress like that. We must find some comely gowns for you. Neither of my children knows how to dress themselves!' She threw up her hands and laughed. Dust fell out of the corners of the room and the creases in her face.

'I've no interest in wedding.'

'What about that nice Botley boy?'

Theon smirked down at his boots.

'I do not wish to marry Tristifer.'

'You won't be young forever. And he's a nice boy.' She leaned forward and patted Asha's arm. 'No-one wants an old maid, sweetling.'

Theon smirked further. Asha was hardly a maid.

'Mother, I command ships. I've reaved and conquered. I don't want to marry anyone.'

'Oh, pish. Every girl wants to wed.' _I will so get you for this, brother. You may think yourself smart. You may think yourself safe, but I will get you for this._

/Authors note/ Also posted on asoiafkinkmeme


End file.
